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Is Newport News, VA tap water safe?

2 utilities serve Newport News, by EPA’s records. Here is what EPA’s and CDC’s records show for each, against the legal limits and the stricter health goals.

Matched to your utility using EPA records.

The short answer

Neither of the 2 utilities serving Newport News has a result above a legal limit or action level, or a health-based violation since 2016, in EPA’s and CDC’s records.

City of Newport News, which serves the most people here, has 1 result above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029. The worst: PFOS at 6.1 ppt, above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029.

The water from City of Newport News is moderately hard, an average of 69 mg/L (4 grains per gallon). How it compares.

A town can be served by more than one utility, and some homes are on private wells. The name on your water bill tells you which is yours, and your ZIP code narrows it down. They are listed by how many people each serves in Newport News’s ZIP codes, from EPA’s estimates.

What handles it

Each of these is certified, on a certifier’s listing, for a result above a line in City of Newport News’s water, which serves the most people here. Another utility’s report names what handles its own results.

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Every claim, and more filters, in the full report

Water testing near Newport News

A utility tests the water it sends out. A test of your own tap shows what your pipes add, and on a private well it is the only test there is. It takes a lab Virginia certifies.

The 3 labs Virginia certifies closest to Newport News, in a straight line. Call first: certification is test by test, and not every lab takes samples from homeowners.

  • Cornwell Engineering Group Laboratory

    Newport News, VA · about 1 mile

    Certified for lead and copper, metals, disinfection byproducts

    (757) 873-1216

  • James R. Reed & Associates

    Newport News, VA · about 1 mile

    Certified for bacteria, nitrate, lead and copper, metals, minerals and other inorganics, organic chemicals, disinfection byproducts

    (757) 873-4703

  • Marine Chemist Service, Inc.

    Newport News, VA · about 1 mile

    Certified for lead and copper, metals

    (757) 873-0933

Virginia Household Water Quality Program, Virginia Cooperative Extension: Drinking water clinics in about 70 counties a year, run through local Extension offices: pick up a kit, collect the sample on the set day, and drop it off locally. Each kit tests well, spring or cistern water for 28 things, including bacteria, nitrate, lead and arsenic. $70 a kit, with funding to help if you need it. Virginia Household Water Quality Program.

All 145 certified labs for Virginia

ZIP codes in Newport News

Which ZIP codes are in Newport News: Census 2020 relationship files. Which utilities serve them, and how many people: EPA SDWIS and EPA’s service area map. Each utility’s results: EPA UCMR 5, EPA SDWIS, and EPA’s and the state’s compliance monitoring, as its report lists them. How they are measured: methodology. Certified labs: DCLS, drinking water laboratories with certification detail; distances from the Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation area gazetteer.

Near Newport News

Towns nearby with a page of their own.

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